Hornets should pounce on 22-year-old guard Bleacher Report says ‘needs a trade’

The Charlotte Hornets aren’t in a position to add win-now talent, as they will likely be on the fringe of the Play-In Tournament next year, and that’s okay. That said, they shouldn’t shy away from the trade market.

If they can find a guy who would fit on the team now and in the future, it could be worth it for them to pull the trigger on a deal and set themselves up nicely.

Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report recently compiled a list of players who are 25 and under that need a trade from their current situation and one of them would make a ton of sense for the Hornets.

Hornets should consider a trade for Jaden Ivey

Jaden Ivey had a very weird on the Detroit Pistons last year with Monty Williams as the head coach. Now, Swartz believes he could use a change of scenery.

For Charlotte, the idea of adding Ivey should be very intriguing. He would fit in nicely with what their starting lineup could look like, and his skills at the two-guard position could complement LaMelo Ball very well.

This past season, Ivey appeared in 77 games for the Pistons, but he only started 61 of them, and he didn’t really start to come into his own after Williams let him remain in the starting lineup on a consistent basis (which started on December 18).

From that point on (in 55 games), Ivey averaged 17.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 4.3 assists while shooting 42.3% from the floor and 34.8% from beyond the three-point arc.

At just 22 years old, Ivey still has a ton of room to develop and grow, and despite the fact that JB Bickerstaff is in charge in Detroit now, this feels like a situation where he may be better off somewhere else.

Sometimes, players just need to play in a new environment with new responsibilities to truly shine. Look at guys like Lauri Markkanen and Brandon Ingram as perfect examples of players who left their old teams, got new opportunities, and blossomed.

A starting lineup of Ball, Ivey, Brandon Miller, Miles Bridges, and Mark Williams would be very fun moving forward.